Perfume designer Monica Ghurde found dead in her Goa apartment

The deceased, identified as Monika Ghurde, hailed from Nagpur and was a perfume designer and researcher.

The deceased, identified as Monika Ghurde, hailed from Nagpur and was a perfume designer and researcher. (Reuters)

A 38-year-old woman was allegedly found murdered at her residence in Goa. The deceased, identified as Monika Ghurde, hailed from Nagpur and was a perfume designer and researcher. Her body has been found naked with her hands and legs tied. Goa police have suspected a possible burglary angle. They suspected she was alone in her flat at Sapana Raj valley apartment on Thursday night when she was robbed and killed subsequently, a media report said.

Police also suspected that she was raped and murdered. “We received information about the incident late last night. We found her body in naked condition while the flat was burgled,” Police Inspector Rajesh Kumar, who is investigating the case, said.

“The house is burgled but we can’t ascertain what things are stolen from the flat as she was living alone,” Kumar said.

A case has been registered. Police has started interrogating her neighbours. The building’s watchman has been quizzed but he has no information about anyone entering her flat, he said.

“We have sent the body for postmortem. Only after the postmortem report is received we will be able to know the exact cause of death,” the inspector said, adding suspicion of rape has not been ruled out and marks on her neck indicate that she was strangulated.

Police have even rounded up several persons from the village, which is about 5 km from the famous Calangute beach, in connection with the case.